Looms for weaving

ABSTRACT

A change-box loom has a displacement means for lifting and lowering the shuttle-boxes, the displacement means comprising one or more cranks or equivalent eccentrics couplable with a lever or combination lever connected with the shuttle-box, an individual drive motor for each such crank or equivalent eccentric and drivingly connected therewith, and a control means for energizing a selected motor or motors so as to rotate the or each related crank for a required change of cell, the control means operating to de-energize the motor or motors upon the completion of a half revolution of the crank and the drive coupling between the output shaft and the motor being arranged to ensure an accurate 180* rotation of the crank.

United States Patent [151 3,680,603

Hindle et al. Aug. 1, 1972 [54] LOOMS FOR WEAVING 3,568,725 3/1971 Hindle ..139/76 [721 Inventors 3 22 g FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS a o 0 ac um, 11 an 96,903 5/1898 Germany ..139/180 1 Asslsnw 2 5; 2; m Limited, 6,717,428 7/1968 Netherlands ..139/77 ac urn, n an 22 H d: 30 1970 Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi :21: A N r501 AttorneyRoberts, Cushman & Grover [57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application Priomy Data A change-box loom has a displacement means for lift- March 25, 1969 Great Britain ..l5,463/69 and the shuttle-mm the dlsplaqemem means comprising one or more cranks or equivalent eccentrics couplable with a lever or combination lever (SI ..l39lllgzliil3ggg connected with the shuttlebox an individual drive 58] Field 178 77 motor for each such crank or equivalent eccentric and drivingly connected therewith, and a control means for energizing a selected motor or motors so as to rotate the or each related crank for a required change [56] References Cited of cell, the control means operating to de-energize the UNITED STATES TE motorfotrhmotorskupog Ill-:8 gompletionlof abhalf revollutron o e cran an t e rive coup mg etweent e R10,433 H1884 Crompton et a1 ..139/180 output shaft and the motor being arranged to ensure l $5232 5 an accurate 180 rotation of the crank. 3:115:899 12/1963 Hindle ..139/76 16 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures I .l 1 Alli L2 ll ll 5 LOOMS FOR WEAVING This invention relates to improvements in looms for weaving, and more particularly to improvements in means for the lifting and lowering of shuttle-boxes with two or more cells.

The usual practice is to operate a two-cell shuttlebox by a single crank or eccentric, and a three-or-fourcell shuttle-box by two cranks or eccentrics acting on various forms of combination lever or levers, the said cranks or eccentrics being rotated through a halfrevolution at a time by mechanical clutch mechanism deriving power and timing from the loom crankshaft under the control of a patterning device.

According to the present invention a displacement means for lifting and lowering loom shuttle-boxes having two or more cells comprises one or more cranks (or equivalent eccentrics) couplable to a lever or combina tion lever connected with the shuttle-box the number of cranks being one in the case of a two-cell box and two in the case of a three-or-four-cell box, an electric motor in respect of each such crank and drivingly connected therewith, and a control means adapted to energize an appropriate motor or motors, and hence rotate the related crank, for cell change according to requirements and to de-energize the same after a half-revolution of the crank, the drive connection between a motor and its related crank including means adapted to ensure an accurate 180 movement of the crank on each rotation thereof. Thus a two-cell shuttle-box is actuated by a single crank powered by a single electric motor, and a three-or four-cell shuttle-box is actuated through any known form of combination lever or levers by two cranks each separately powered by an electric motor, the proportions of the combination lever or levers being selected according to the number of cells in manner known per se, the provision of a respective electric motor for each crank eliminating the intermittent mechanical clutch mechanisms necessary in conventional structures.

The electric motors for this purpose are each equipped with a friction-brake of known type which is released when the motor is energized and is applied by spring pressure when it is subsequently de-energized. The purpose of these brakes is to stop the motors reasonably promptly when they are de-energized but, as will be apparent from what follows, the stopping power of the brakes is not solely relied upon to ensure that the motor-driven cranks are rotated precisely through a half-revolution. In practice, any unavoidable slight inequality in the braking power of the brakes does not impair the precision of the cranks half-revolutions.

One form of the invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a rear elevation of the'electric box motion as arranged for operating a three or four cell shuttlebox; the only difference being in the combination levers;

FIG. 1A is a detail, to a larger scale, showing one arrangement of the cam-actuated limit switches;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a view corresponding to a part of FIG. 2 and shows a combination lever system for use in operating a four-cell shuttle-box;

FIG. 3 is a corresponding plan view; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the circuitry for the electric box-motion illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a three-cell shuttle-box is indicated at 1, and is capable of being lifted and lowered by its lifter-bar 2, the lower end of such lifterbar 2 being secured by pin 3a to the forward arm of a transmission lever 3 adapted to swing on its fixed fulcrum bar 4 in the usual manner. The rear arm of lever 3 is secured by a pin 3b to a transmission link 5, the upper end of such link being attached, by a pin 6a, to the output arm 6 of combination levers which swing on their fixed fulcrum bar 7, carried in the box-motion frames F. The combination levers are of well-known construction, and any other known form of combination lever, or levers, suitable for operating either three or four-cell shuttle-boxes may be employed with corresponding effect.

In the present example, the two input arms, 9,10, are each separately oscillated by the connecting-rods 11,12, the lower ends of which connecting rods are respectively secured to the input arms 9,10 by pins and 10a, while the upper ends are connected to and actuated by crank pins 13, 14, fixed in crank-gears 15, 16 respectively.

In operation these two crank-gears are caused either to remain stationary or to rotate precisely through whereby the crank-pins 13, 14, change position from one dead-center to the other, thereby controlling the relative positions of the input arms 9,10, and, therefore, the resultant position of the output arm 6, which can thus assume any one of three positions as is required for the operation of a three-cell shuttle-box. It is also well-known that such combination levers may be so proportioned that the output arm 6 can assume any one of four positions, as is required for the operation of a four-cell shuttle-box, an appropriate combination lever system being shown in FIG. 2A, like reference numerals being used in such figure for the same or similar parts of FIG. 2.

Referring again to FIGS 1 and 2, the crank-gears 15,16 which rotate a half-revolution at a time, and always in the same direction, are preferably arranged to rotate on stub-axles fixed in spiders 17 supported on through-bars 18 fixed in the frames F. These spiders, as shown in FIG. 1, are preferably of the rimmed construction which provides lateral support for the interleaved crank-gears, as is fully described in United Kingdom Pat. No. 1,069,914.

The crank-gears 15,16 are driven by the driver-gears 19,20. Each driver-gear and crank-gear constitute a mating pair of mutilated or intermittent gears, which, however, are in constant mesh and alignment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The driver-gear 19 has two diametrically opposite sectors of normal teeth 19a, separated by two arcua te dwell sectors 19b. The mating c crank-gear 15 has two diametrically opposite concave-tipped locking teeth 15b, separated by two sectors of normal teeth, 15a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pitch-line diameter of the driver-gear 19 is made about 25 percent larger than that of the crank-gear 15, whereby the arcuate dwell sectors 19a on the driver-gear extend over an angle about twice as large as that of each lock-tooth 15b on the crank-gear 15. The driver-gear thus has a certain amount of free or idle rotation before and after driving the crank-gear through its precise half-revolution. As a result, the driver-gear l9 drives the crank-gear through a half-revolution precisely while turning through only about two-thirds of its own half-revolution. During the remaining one-third thereof, the crank-gear remains stationary, in one or other of its dead-center positions, by. reason of one of its lock-teeth 15b, being engaged with and locked by the arcuate dwell profile 1% of the driver-gear.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the driver-gears 19, 20, are each compounded with spur-gears 21,22, respectively. Both these compounded pairs are rotatably mounted side by side on an axle-bar 23, which also is supported inv the frames F.

The spur-gear 21 is intermittently driven by a pinion 25 on a shaft 27, which shaft 27 is the output shaft protruding from agear box 29, and powered by an electric motor 31. This motor, as above mentioned, is equipped with an automatic friction brake, indicated at 33. Similarly, .the other spur-gear 22 is driven by a pinion26 on anoutput shaft 28 protruding from a gearbox 30, and powered by an electric motor 32, with its brake at 34. The output shafts 27, 28, are supported at their outer ends by suitable bearings 35, 36 carried in theframes F.

The speed-reducing ratio of the gears in the boxes 29,30, is chosen, in combination with the reduction provided by the spur-gears 21,25'and 22, 26, so that the crank-gears 15,16, turn through a half-revolution while theloom crankshaft turns'through an angle of from 30 to 120'? according to requirements.

The selecting devices may take any known form, but preferably comprise additional lines of bowls and tubes on the usual dobby'pattern chain, each such line of bowls and tubes serving to operate a two-way pattern sensing switch'which, in combine d circuitry with the associated two-way limit-switch actuated by the drivergear as it turns through each half-revolution, determineswhether or not the associated electric motor shall be energized during the next box-changing operation. Referring now to FIG. 4, the pattern chain barrel B, which, in this example, turns through 60 for each revolution of the loom crankshaft, carries two lines of bowls and tubes C l and C 2, which respectively control the two electric motors 31 and 32, employed to power the three cell box-motion at one end of the loom. By means offinger-levers F l and F 2, the bowls and tubes successively actuate two-way patternswitches P l and P 2, which are interconnected with their associated two-way limit-switches L 1 and L 2.

The limit-switches are respectively actuated by face earns 37 and 38 formed on the rims of the driver-gears 19, 20, but the cams, if preferred, may be formed on or driven by the spur-gears 21,22 with equal effect. As indicated at 37 in FIG. 2, the face cams may take the formof an annular groove machined'in one side of the driver-gear, which groove may be filled-in, for about half its circumference, with an annular cam provided with a suitable ramp at each end, that is, approximately diametrically opposite. These cams, which may conveniently consist of nylon or similar plastic material, are indicated at 37 in FIG; 2, and at 37 and 38 in FIG. 1A, together with the bell-crank levers 39, 40, which serve as cam-followers and to actuate the two-way limit-switches L l, L 2, on the conclusion of each halfrevolution of the driver-gears.

The limit-switches and their actuating bell-crank levers are mounted on the mobile panel 41 (FIG. 1) carried on an arm 42, pivoted on a fixed bar 23. The exact timing of the actuation of the limit-switches L 1, L 2 by their rotary cams 37, 38, can readily be adjusted by swinging the arm 42 around bar 23, and then securing the am, and the limit-switches, in an appropriate angular position by set screws 43, or equivalent clampmg means.

Referring to FIG. 4, the timing device, previously referred to, comprises a timing-switch T, which is arranged to close circuit at the particular time in the loom cycle appropriate for the commencement of the box-changing operation, and this switch is common to all the motors concerned with shuttle-box actuation at both ends of the loom.

The cam 45 rotates continuously at loom crank-shaft speed, and the lobe is arranged to retain the timingswitch in its closed condition until after the box-changing operation has been completed, whereupon the tim-.

ing-switch re-opens in readiness for the next selection by the pattern-switches P l, P 2 in combined circuitry with their associatedlimit-switches L 1, L2. Thus the motors next required to be energized are first selected in the above manner, and then simultaneously started in response to closureof the timing-switch T, but are stopped individually by the opening of their respective limit switches L, L 2. V y I The three-pole contactors controlling the current supply to the electricmotorsand their brakes are indicated at M l and M 2 in FIG. 4, where S l and S 2 are the respective solenoid coils for closing the contactors.

The limit-switches L 1 and L 2 also serve to indicate dead-center positions occupied by the various crankgears after every change, thereby simplifying the as sembly and interpretation of the'box pattern chain,

since a bowl invariably indicates that the corres ponding,

crank shall next assume or remain in a particular posi tion (say UP) and a tube indicates that the crank shall next assume or remain in the opposite position (say DOWN).

As will be apparent, a two-cell shuttle-box may .be I actuated in a similar manner, but in such case the com bination levers are replaced by a simple lever of the First Order, which is oscillated about its fulcrum by a single crank-gear powered by a single electric motor. The output arm of the simple lever can then assume either of two positions as is required for the operation of a two-cell shuttle-box. Only one line of bowls and tubes is required to control a two-cell box-motion at one end of the loom. If the motions are to be applied to both ends of a loom, then the number of lines of bowls and tubes and all the other components must be duplicated.

A mechanical escapement designed to give-way on overload is preferably included in the linkage serving to transmit the motion of the cranks or of the combination Alternatively or additionally an electrical escapement, with the same general efiect, comprises an overload relay included in the circuit of each electric motor used to power the box-motion, whereby in the event of mechanical obstruction, the electric current supply to the box-motion and, if so desired, also to the loom driving motor, is promptly interrupted.

While the accompanying drawings show the limitswitches L l and L 2 actuated by face-cams 37 and 38, edge-cams may alternatively be employed with equal effect.

Shuttle-boxes with more than four cells can readily be operated on the same principle.

The above described combination of individual electric motors which, when intermittently energized under the control of a selecting device comprising interconnecting pattem-switches and limit-switches, and a timing-switch, drive mutilated crank-gears a half-revolution at a time, may also be employed to actuate the jack-Levers of a positive dobby for controlling and operating the heald shafts of a weaving loom.

What we claim is:

l. A shuttle-box displacement means for lifting and lowering a shuttle-box having two cells, said means comprising a crank, a pivoted lever connecting the crank with the shuttle-box, an electric motor drivingly connected to the crank, and control means adapted to energize the motor and, hence, effect rotation of the crank, for cell changeover according to requirements and to de-energize the same after a half revolution of the crank, characterized in that the driving connection between the motor and said crank embodies a mutilated gear and a drive gear in mesh therewith adapted to ensure an accurate 180 movement of the crank on each rotation thereof.

2. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim wherein said lever is pivoted intermediate its opposite ends and the ends are pivotedly connected to the crank and to the shuttle-box.

3. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim 1 wherein the shuttle-box has three cells and there are two cranks and an electric motor drivingly connected to each crank.

4. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim 1 wherein the shuttle-box has four cells and there are two cranks, each drivingly connected to a motor.

5. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive gear has diametrically opposed arcuate dwell sectors thereon for cooperation with corresponding lock teeth on the mutilated gear.

6. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 wherein free angular play is provided between the drive gear and the mutilated gear to give a free or idle rotation of the drive gear relative to the mutilated gear before driving connection therebetween.

7. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said motor embodies a friction brake in manner known.

8. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim 1 wherein there are two cranks, two motors and individual control means for each motor including a two-position pattern switch, a two-position limit switch in series electrical circuit with said pattern switch and a solenoid coil for the motor contactor, the pattern switch being adapted to be operated by a pattern finger acting in conjunction with a pattern-chain and the limit-switch being adapted to be controlled by cam means actuable according to the position of the crank.

9. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 8 wherein the series electrical circuit of the individual control means of the respective motors are arranged in parallel, and such parallel electrical circuit is in series with a source of electrical power and a timing can, the said timing cam being adapted to be rotated at loom crankshaft speed to open the circuit during selection and setting of the control means.

10. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 8 wherein the limit switches are actuated by cams carried by respective gear members in the drive transmission to the cranks, the said limit switches being angularly adjustable relative to the related gear member thereby to permit of a variation in the timing of their operation in the loom cycle.

11. A shuttle-box displacementmeans as claimed in claim 10 including a fixed shaft and a bracket supported upon the said shaft and angularly adjustable thereon.

12. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 wherein a single crank is provided to operate a two-cell shuttle-box, the lever being a lever of the first order.

13. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 further including a mechanical escapement in the linkage transmitting a motion from the lever to the shuttle-boxes, actuation of the escapement being adapted to actuate a micro-switch whereby the supply current to the box-motion motors, the loom driving motor or the electro-magnetic clutch for driving the loom is promptly interrupted.

14. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 further including an electrical escapement comprising an overload relay in the circuit of each electric motor used to power the box motion, actuation of the escapement being adapted to actuate a microswitch whereby the supply current to the box-motion motors, the loom driving motor or the electro-magnetic clutch for driving the loom is promptly interrupted.

l5. Shuttle-box displacement means for effecting movement of a shuttle-box having cells for positioning of the cells according to requirements, said means comprising a crank, a linkage including cranks pivoted lever connecting the crank with the shuttlebox, an electric motor drivingly connected to the crank, and control means adapted to energize the electric motor and hence effect rotation of the crank for cell change-over according to requirements and to de-energize the same after a half revolution of the crank, characterized in that said linkage is adapted to move the shuttlebox varying amounts as required according to the number of cells, and the driving connection between the motor and said crank embodies a mutilated gear and a drive gear in mesh therewith adapted to ensure an when the movement of the crank on each rotation thereof.

16. Shuttle displacement means for moving a shuttlebox having cells for positioning of the cells according to requirements and number, said means comprising two cranks, linkage connecting the two cranks with the shuttlebox and two electric motors drivingly connected to the two cranks, said linkage comprising a rock shaft,

first and second arms pivotally mounted on the rock shaft, means pivotally connecting one end of each of of the rock shaft and the pivot axis at the one end of the lo v 8 7 second arm line along a straight line when the associated crank is situated diametrically opposite the position of the other crank, a rocker lever, and connecting rods pivotally connected at one end to the opposite ends of the rocker lever, the other end of one connecting rod being pivotally connected to the linking arm and the other end of the other the shuttle-box.

rod. being fixed to g 

1. A shuttle-box displacement means for lifting and lowering a shuttle-box having two cells, said means comprising a Crank, a pivoted lever connecting the crank with the shuttle-box, an electric motor drivingly connected to the crank, and control means adapted to energize the motor and, hence, effect rotation of the crank, for cell changeover according to requirements and to de-energize the same after a half revolution of the crank, characterized in that the driving connection between the motor and said crank embodies a mutilated gear and a drive gear in mesh therewith adapted to ensure an accurate 180* movement of the crank on each rotation thereof.
 2. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim wherein said lever is pivoted intermediate its opposite ends and the ends are pivotedly connected to the crank and to the shuttle-box.
 3. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim 1 wherein the shuttle-box has three cells and there are two cranks and an electric motor drivingly connected to each crank.
 4. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim 1 wherein the shuttle-box has four cells and there are two cranks, each drivingly connected to a motor.
 5. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive gear has diametrically opposed arcuate dwell sectors thereon for cooperation with corresponding lock teeth on the mutilated gear.
 6. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 wherein free angular play is provided between the drive gear and the mutilated gear to give a free or idle rotation of the drive gear relative to the mutilated gear before driving connection therebetween.
 7. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said motor embodies a friction brake in manner known.
 8. A shuttle-box displacement means according to claim 1 wherein there are two cranks, two motors and individual control means for each motor including a two-position pattern switch, a two-position limit switch in series electrical circuit with said pattern switch and a solenoid coil for the motor contactor, the pattern switch being adapted to be operated by a pattern finger acting in conjunction with a pattern-chain and the limit-switch being adapted to be controlled by cam means actuable according to the position of the crank.
 9. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 8 wherein the series electrical circuit of the individual control means of the respective motors are arranged in parallel, and such parallel electrical circuit is in series with a source of electrical power and a timing can, the said timing cam being adapted to be rotated at loom crankshaft speed to open the circuit during selection and setting of the control means.
 10. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 8 wherein the limit switches are actuated by cams carried by respective gear members in the drive transmission to the cranks, the said limit switches being angularly adjustable relative to the related gear member thereby to permit of a variation in the timing of their operation in the loom cycle.
 11. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 10 including a fixed shaft and a bracket supported upon the said shaft and angularly adjustable thereon.
 12. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 wherein a single crank is provided to operate a two-cell shuttle-box, the lever being a lever of the first order.
 13. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 further including a mechanical escapement in the linkage transmitting a motion from the lever to the shuttle-boxes, actuation of the escapement being adapted to actuate a micro-switch whereby the supply current to the box-motion motors, the loom driving motor or the electro-magnetic clutch for driving the loom is promptly interrupted.
 14. A shuttle-box displacement means as claimed in claim 1 further including an electrical escapement comprising an overload relay in the circuit of each electric motor used to power the box motion, actuation of the escapement being adapted to actuate a microswitch whereby the supply current To the box-motion motors, the loom driving motor or the electro-magnetic clutch for driving the loom is promptly interrupted.
 15. Shuttle-box displacement means for effecting movement of a shuttle-box having cells for positioning of the cells according to requirements, said means comprising a crank, a linkage including cranks pivoted lever connecting the crank with the shuttlebox, an electric motor drivingly connected to the crank, and control means adapted to energize the electric motor and hence effect rotation of the crank for cell change-over according to requirements and to de-energize the same after a half revolution of the crank, characterized in that said linkage is adapted to move the shuttlebox varying amounts as required according to the number of cells, and the driving connection between the motor and said crank embodies a mutilated gear and a drive gear in mesh therewith adapted to ensure an when the 180* movement of the crank on each rotation thereof.
 16. Shuttle displacement means for moving a shuttle-box having cells for positioning of the cells according to requirements and number, said means comprising two cranks, linkage connecting the two cranks with the shuttlebox and two electric motors drivingly connected to the two cranks, said linkage comprising a rock shaft, first and second arms pivotally mounted on the rock shaft, means pivotally connecting one end of each of the first and second arms to a respective one of the cranks, a linking arm, means pivotally mounting the linking arm at the other end of the first arm such that the latter pivot axis, the axis of the rock shaft and the pivot axis at the one end of said first arm lie along in straight line when the associated crank is in one position, means pivotally connecting the second arm to the linking arm such that the latter pivot axis, the pivot axis of the rock shaft and the pivot axis at the one end of the second arm line along a straight line when the associated crank is situated diametrically opposite the position of the other crank, a rocker lever, and connecting rods pivotally connected at one end to the opposite ends of the rocker lever, the other end of one connecting rod being pivotally connected to the linking arm and the other end of the other rod being fixed to the shuttle-box. 